Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Committee

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Why is this Important to the PCDA:

The DEIC acknowledges that the Historical and Present-Day structure of Dietetics is to overvalue Western medicine, and devalue traditional healing, storytelling and lived experience. This can lead to further discrimination and (un)intentional harm towards Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC), LGBTQ2S+ community, people living with disabilities, and/or people living in varying bodies.  

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Evidence-based practice must intentionally include lived experience of the practitioner and the patient. 

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To Deny my Food is to Deny my Culture; 

To Deny my Culture is Racist.

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Definitions: 

• Diversity: Differences of People in ‘protected classes’ (marginalized populations).

• Equity: Recognition, and dismantling of barriers for the inclusion of People who are/have been historically excluded and marginalized. 

• Inclusion: Creating a space/environment where People can express ‘dissent’. Feeling welcomed
  and valued; with representation of those individuals in all levels of the association. 

• Health Equity: When individuals have the fair opportunity to reach their fullest health potential. Requires reducing unnecessary and avoidable differences that are unfair and unjust. Health equity
  is created when individuals have the fair opportunity to reach their fullest health potential.

 

Objectives: 

• Advise Board and Executive on opportunities for organizational DEI advocacy positions.

• Provide recommendations on how PCDA can imbed DEI into our work.

• Provide recommendations on how PCDA can challenge systematic oppression in dietetics,
  as a community of practice and with clients.

• Provide recommendations on how PCDA can influence partners that we work with to address
  health equity and systemic oppression.

• Provide recommendations on criteria for when we do or do not work with funders/sponsors.

• Provide recommendations for use of social media to promote health equity & inclusion messaging . 

 

Goals:

• Facilitate safe space on how members can have conversations and criticism based on their own understanding and lived experience on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

• Help RD recognize biases (for themselves and others) and systemic oppression perpetuated in Western medicine.

• Unlearning & healing of white supremacy and history of colonialism on the medical and nutrition field.

• Provide practical strategies to support equity and inclusivity in practice.

• Provide tools to advocate for systemic change, both in the dietetic profession and the public.

• Support and increase access to mental health supports for triggered* members and interns.

• Creating safe space for identified groups (BIPOC, LGBTQ2S+, and othered dietitians). 

• Incorporate the narratives of equity-seeking folx, including dietitians in our advocacy.

• Advocate for the role of dietitians in Health Equity.

 

Committee Membership (minimum):

• at least 1 Board Member

• at least 1 Executive Member

• at least 2 PCDA general members